AWI Voices With Impact presents: Mother Tongue
“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his mother language that goes to his heart.” – Nelson Mandela
Language, the words we use, and the meanings we attach to them shape our worldviews. They influence our feelings, attitudes and beliefs. With immigration, the concept of a mother language is conceived. A mother tongue is not only a means of communication, but an entity that connects us to family, identity, and culture. It contains echoes of our childhood, and is the carrier of history, traditions, customs, folklore and wisdom from one generation to another. Differences in languages and cultures, and issues of stigma, racism and discrimination have a range of mental health implications on the ways that people view health, illness, and healing. In this session, filmmakers Ziyao Liu, Hao Zhou, and Adán Ávalos explore the intersection of language, identity, and mental health.
Watch the screen recording below, or download it here.
Featured National Resources:
Crisis Text Line
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Trans Lifeline
The Trevor Project
Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective (BEAM)
Black Mental Health Alliance
Please visit this page for International Resources.